The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-02-26
Summing Up for theAntI-suffragists,

point senator.
Summing Up for theAnti- Suffragists.
PORTLAND, Feb. 25, 1887.
To the Editor of the Press:
The anti-suffragists ask me to say that the
points they wish TO make are but two. First,
do women wish to vote? Second, win 1t
right any present wrongs If they do vote?
The anti-suffragists believe that four-ffths
of the educated women do not wish TO vote
and that the majority shall rule in this as in
everything else. They believe that their
intellectual judgments and their moral con-
victions" are entirely opposed to female suf-
frage: They protest against the good-nat-
ured indifference Of women who say that
they do not wish to vote but are willing to
see others vote who do want to-" They seem
not to believe that the ballot belongs to all
women II 1t belongs to one III it could be
given only to those who want it or who are
MT 70 have Il, probably there woold be no
anti-suffragists.
1t has been often said within the last three
days that too many frivolous young women
have signed the remonstrance." In examin-
ing the lists find very few, proportionally.
But granting IL to be true, for the sake of
argument, are not the suffragists anxious
that young women, whether serious or friv-
OAouog SNAIL bc dnOWcu W fOtt dL Lls OuTt-
ly II they are capable Of intelligent voting
on the financial and political questions Of the
day, they are capable of intelligent remOn-
STRANGE. 1t has happend that we have sew
eral times heard Mrs. Kate Gannett Wells
and Gail Hamilton quoted by Jealous but
uninformed suffragists as being arrayed on
their side OF this question. Following are
several extracts from Mrs. Wells's speech
before the Massachusetts Legislature:
1T Is said that the casting Of vote is a slight
mechanical act we might not object To such ac-
u0n put 70 cast vote ought TO mean to east 1t in
tteeiligenty teng and honestly; and how, can we gain
caucuses, primaries, nominating conventions. and
supplementng general knowledge as far as posi-
Psay BE by personal aequnntance with candidates9
such work, most OF US have not; and even II we
al mad the time, is 1t desirable that the presence
ana co-w0rk OF un-tntelligent and depraved wom-
en- should be added to the already Earring factions
OF political life? Every woman knows that all
women cannot purify politics; aad II good wom-
an can vote, so can bad wornanl
We antisuffragists wiz not yield one iota to the
pro-suifragists In our belief In woman's capacity
to receive the highest education. to demand eanai
wages with men, 10 work as physician. LAWYER
minister, lecturer, or In any occupation she
they erase from the statutes laws which discrimi-
nate unJustly against woman We also believe
Sts, wa. sne should serve on school committees on
oItte boards OF charities, and on all kindred In
sttutons, so that we wish to effect no curi ament
suffrage y
II is not necessary that women should vote in
order 70 nave the laws more favorable for them
Inc Inc cnanges mat have already taken place in
had nothing to do with suffrage.
Because / am woman, because care for wo-
mans sadyancement,b because believe that though
a nFa 10 fad 10
vote. .an infinitely greater number OF women are
not fitted for IL, do lido We impore you not to
give TO all what at least most OF us not able to
use rightly. You cannot give us Suffrage without
letting loose Influences akin to those which have
already deeased politics and given rise to words
of doubtful morality like wre-pulling bribery,
log.rollng, etc. IfyOu give suffrage 10 ALL you
will speedily find that women are adopts in poll
teal measures, and will no more shrink at trying
az means to secure their ends than do men;
though on the other hand many men do and many
women would. employ only honorable means.
wri nr'ta, an ,0tsrnsr.,a .n.s.n - 49,,
less brutal or intemperafe because his wife has
the power to vote. Will trustees cease TO specu-
late with their clients money because those clients
1t Is a womans ignorance more than mans
wckedness. or the laws injustice, which brings
about the evils for which our sympathy Is crayed
Suffrage Is not needed to beget self respect or a
knowledge Of contracts, Investments and the
before action IS begun would save later needless
misery Lastly, it Is argued against us that for
various reasons we need not fear tnat the unin-
telllgent will vote. This must remain a matter of
opinion between us and those who differ from us.
can only say that my experience has led me TO
the contrary conclusion. had occasion one win
ter TO be connected with some work at the North
End The women were too careless and wretch
ed n their lives and In their dress to be here de-
groups; many one spoke of the time when she
could vote. as the only vengeance left her to exer
else upon the wealthy classes. Woman suffrage
they said, would give the unskilled workwomen
more ample wages, for they could vote them
selves what they needed Again, l was in a
daily dinner. The men were also talking
of this subject, and said that the women must
vote, for we want the eight-hour law, and can
State give us work. The women must see to ID
that we have work, and only work for eight
hours" These are but two Instances, though i
think they could be multiplied hundred fold
yet are they not indications Of the way in which
woman suffrage may be urged TO forward some
OF uneducated women be added TO the great mass
OF already uneducated men voters and the State
will slowly but surely be shaken under the vary
ing demands made upon it for bread, work
money, leisure and all Kinds of laws TO favor ali
kinds Of persons. When those times come, there
win be more bitter animositles Of women against
women, Iof secret warfare, Of despicable wire
pulling, and OF exercise of the power of personal
charms as weapon of persuasion, than now
exists among men,"
The next extract is from Gail Hamilton in
answer to the statement that she was a suf-
fragist.
without in the least degree impugning the mo-
tives OF decrying the character of woman suffra-
gists, sncerelH hope that their cause will be un-
successful In so far as 1t would impose the ballot
| upon women.
In their desire for the better education of wom-
| en- they have my warmest sympathy. though we
might not always agre as to what the better edtl-
cation is, or how II is to be effected. But my
| earliest instict and my latest Judgment combine
1 In maintaining that women have a right TO claim
| exemption from political duty and responsibility
| and that men have no right to lay the burden up
ON them.
II the public work Is i'll done by men, the reme-
dy Is to do IL better, not to shift the weight 10
| shoulders already heavily laden, and whose task
| they do not propose In any respect to tighten"
| Finally, the anti-suffragists would say to
| "A Portland Lady" who says In the PRESS
| Of this morning:
"I wonder II none Of the $50 ladies' whose
names appear this morning, can conceive of nc
abuses to remedy, no wrongs to right, IN a posi-
| Bile future even If In our present elysian cOndt
| ton the wheels of society are running so smooth
| ly."
| That it seems hardly necessary to conceive
| of wrongs and abuses that may lie in the
possible future" while there are so many
of both in the actual present. What the
suffragists will not understand Is that tct
beliere that the ballot lcil not remedy trrongs
| MARY ). CAswELL.